Electrical connector



Sept- 16, 1941- c. E. WELLS 2,255,838

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR I Filed Oct. 16, 1939 /N VEA/TOR vf/nais ff WEL/ sPatented Sept. 16, 1941,

s PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Charles E. Wells, San Gabriel,Calif., assignor to Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of Delaware Application October 16, 1939, Serial No. 299,680

3 Claims. (Cl. 173-324) lVly invention relates to electrical connectors,particularly. to electrical connectors between parts of an electricallyoperated tool designed to operate within awell bore. Among the objectsof my invention are:

First, to provide an electrical connector for oil well tools which maybe submerged to great depths in liquid and subjected to hundreds ofpounds of hydrostatic pressure;

Second, to provide an electrical connector of this character which isparticularly designed for luse in conjunction with a gun perforator ofthe multiple gun unit type, so that each gun unit may be connectedthrough an external wiring system to the source of electrical energywithout shortage or leakage by or through the connector to thesurrounding Afluid;

Third, to provide a connector oi this character which in no mannerinterferes with the loading vor cleaning of the gun perforator withwhich it may be incorporated, but which materially facilitatesconnection of each of the gun units to its respective lead wire; and

Fourth, to provide an electrical connector whichv is particularly simpleand economical of manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a gun perforatorincorporating my novel electrical connector, parts and portions of thegun being I shown in section;

' Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through 2-2 ofFigure 1, illustrating my electrical connector with the lead wires andsealing gaskets in place; l Figure 3 is a transverse sectional viewthrough the body member of my electrical connector, with .the remainingparts removed; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view through 4--4 of Figure 2. y

As indicated hereinbefore, my electrical lconnector isparticularlydesigned for use in conjunction with gun perforators. Gunperforators are lowered often to depths in excess of 10,000 feet intoliquid-filled well holes for the purpose of firing projectiles through asurrounding casing into the formation to establish points of entry ofthe well uid. It is ldesirable that gun perforators be controlledelectrically and that the several gun units comprising the gunperforator be tired in sequence; this necessitates lead wires to each ofthe gun units, which may be. twentyfive or more. To facilitate servicingand for other reasons, it is desirable to have the wiring along theoutside of the gun. However, it is equally desirable that there belittle or no leakage of current from the connectingor lead wires intothe surrounding liquid or to the return side of the circuit, namely, thebody of the gun.

One type of gun perforator is illustrated in Figure 1, and comprises agun body I having a plurality of laterally directed gun bores 2,v eachof lwhich receive a bullet 3. The gun bores 2 are intersected by otherright angularly disposed, laterally directed bores which form additionalcartridge chambers and which are sealed by plugs 4. These plugs servethe added function of supplying electrical energyfto laments containedwithin the cartridges for the purpose of discharging the gun. This isaccomplished by means of a small bore through yeach plug 4, which borereceives a lead wire 5. Around the lead wire, at the outer end of theplug, a suitable sealing gasket 6 is provided.v The lead wire ispreferably enamel-covered, insulated from well uid, and may be providedwith additionaly insulation, as desired.

Adjacent each plug l the gun body I is provided with a socket 'I whichreceives a block 8 formed of insulating material which constitutes thebody. of my connector. The block 8 is providedwith two converging andintersecting sockets 9 which have slightly tapered outer ends I0. Eachtapered outer portionis adapted to receive a gasket Il in the nature ofa rubber cork or plug. Each plug is provided with a small boretherethrough.'

4One plug receives a lead wire 5 while the other receives the end of aconductor I2 connected to a source of electrical energy, as will beexplained hereinafter. Each cork `or plug Il is provided with aV-shapedannular groove which forms pressure lips adapted to bear againstthe walls of the corresponding socket 9 and around the correspondinglead wire 5 or l2. i l

Commercial enameled wire without additional insulation has proven, inactual operation, to fully insulate the wire even when subjected toextreme well pressure and temperature. Any additional insulation,therefore, serves principally to protect the lead wires againstabrasion. Furthermore, by reason of the fact that the lead wires dipinto mercury and the severed extremities of the lead wires arenecessarily without enamel, it has been found unnecessary to clean theenamel from the lead wires-this is best illustrated in Figure 4. y

formed between the two lead wires and I2,

Each of the lead wires or conductors I2 extend from their respectiveelectrical connectors into channels I4 provided along the sides of thegun and pass in a bundle through the upper end of the gun into asuitable controller (not shown) adapted to connect each of theconductors I2 in sequence with their respective gun units.

In operation it sometimes happens that the lead wires 5 will blow out oftheir corresponding plugs 6. The electrical connector holds these wireswith only suilcient tension by reason of the resilient gripping actionof the corks Il to withstand the normal handling. Thus, in the eventthat one of the lead wires should blow out and thereby be pulled fromthe connector, the connector itself is in no manner damaged. As a matterof fact, it has been found that the holes through the plugs or corks H,which accommodate the wires, may be so small that even the mercurycontained within the socket 9 has little or no tendency to leak, so thatthe connectors may be used repeatedly without the necessity of refillingthe pockets with mercury.

In reloading it is merely necessary to screw in the plug 4 with -theshort lead wire 5, bend the lead wire overI and thrust it into the plug8.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scopeof the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all noveltyinherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

l. In an electrical connector adapted to withstand extreme hydrostaticpressure: a body of insulating material having a pair of intersectingsockets therein'; mercury lling Said sockets:

sealing plugs closing said sockets and sealing the mercury therein; andconductor wires sealed in and extending through said plugs into saidmercury, said plugs having external annular V-shaped channels thereinforming pressure lips adapted to bear against said conductor Wires andagainst the surrounding sockets to form fluidtight pressure responsiveseal, said plugs resting directly upon and supported by the mercury.

2. In an electrical connector adapted to withstand extreme hydrostaticpressure: an insulated body member having a cavity therein; a conductingliquid filling said cavity; -a removable plug for closing said cavity;and a conductor extending through said plug into said cavity, said plughaving an annular V-shaped groove surrounding said conductor formingpressure responsive lips adapted to bear against said conductor andagainst the surrounding socket to form a pressure responsive sealingmeans, said plug resting directly upon and supported by said liquid.

3. In an electrical connector adapted to withstand extreme hydrostaticpressure: an insulated body member having a cavity, and a pair ofopenings to said cavity; removable plugs adapted to t the openings andclose said cavity; a conductor extending through each plug into saidcavity; and a conductive liquid completely lling said cavity for makingelectrical contact between said conductors; each of said plugs having anannular V-shaped groove surrounding its conductor farmingpressure-responsive lips adapted to bear against said conductor andagainst the surrounding body to form a pressure responsive sealingmea-ns, said plugs resting directly upon and supported by the conductiveliquid.

CHARLES E. WELLS.

